Dispute with Owner After Petting Unknown Dog
Man Who Touched Dog Faces Trial for Verbal Abuse and Assault... 'Fined'
Expert: "Consent from Owner Needed Before Petting Dog"
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] A man in his 30s who assaulted and verbally abused a dog owner after touching someone else's dog without permission was fined in the first trial, sparking controversy. Opinions vary between those who think it is okay to pet a dog because it is cute and those who argue that touching a dog without the owner's consent is a form of violence.
According to the court on the 29th, the Seoul Eastern District Court Criminal Division 7 (Judge Kim Seul-gi) sentenced office worker A (39) to a fine of 1 million won on the 22nd for charges of insult and assault.
Last October, A saw B's dog in front of a restaurant in Songpa-gu, Seoul, thought it was cute, and touched it. However, B confronted A because he touched the dog without permission, which led to an argument.
During this incident, A is accused of cursing in front of people when B recorded him with a mobile phone. Although A was initially indicted by summary prosecution, he requested a formal trial, which was held this time.
The court ruled that A's actions constituted both insult and assault and imposed a fine of 1 million won.
Given the situation, some have pointed out that pet etiquette was not observed. Pet etiquette is a compound word combining the English words pet and etiquette.
Pet etiquette includes manners such as cleaning up after your dog during a walk, but also emphasizes that you should not touch someone else's dog without permission.
For example, you should not pet or touch a dog you meet on the street just because it is cute. Dogs dislike being touched on the tip of the tail, the thigh area of the hind legs, the tip of the nose, and the tips of the front paws. If these boundaries are violated, the dog immediately becomes alert.
If this continues, the dog can experience severe stress, which may lead to various illnesses, so special caution is required.
Other pet etiquette rules when encountering a dog include: avoiding direct eye contact, not extending your hand or making 'tsk tsk tsk' sounds, refraining from using high-pitched voices because the dog is cute, not holding the dog's face with both hands, and not petting the head.
The problem is that many people are unaware of these rules or that they are not properly followed.
A man in his 40s said, "I'm not trying to hit the dog, just petting it a little because it's cute, but people seem to be too sensitive about it. From now on, I think I'll just look at the dog or say 'cute' verbally."
Another office worker in his 30s said, "Does that mean dogs in animal hospitals or pet shops are exposed to violence every day? I think this is more about conflicts between dog owners and people who touch dogs rather than the people touching the dogs themselves."
An expert suggested that when encountering an unfamiliar dog on the street, it is best to ask the owner first if you can pet the dog. A dog specialist explained, "When meeting a dog, first check if it is on a leash and ask the owner if it is okay to greet the dog. If allowed to pet, gently stroke the side of the dog's body with the back of your hand."
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